Official Parliamentary Procedures

By Jahnavi Kolli, Illinois FBLA State Parliamentarian

Meetings are an integral part of every chapter in Illinois FBLA- after all, what is a chapter without frequent gatherings of people (the official parliamentary definition for a meeting)? Regardless of if it’s a chapter meeting or an officer meeting, it is important that everyone’s voice is heard while ensuring maximum efficiency. That is exactly where parliamentary procedures comes into play.

There are many simple parli rules that any chapter can incorporate, regardless of how informal one wants a meeting to be. Instead of interrupting each other, members can obtain the floor, which is the parli pro term for being called on by the president or adviser (known as the chair). They can then make a motion by saying “I move to…”, which is a way of bringing the new business, or new idea, to the meeting. After another member seconds, or acknowledges that the motion should be brought up, the motion is then debated.

For more tips on how to quickly become a parli pro, refer to Robert’s Rules of Order Simplified and the National Parliamentarian Council’s Instagram (@fblaparli). And if you were at the Illinois Fall Retreat this past November, you already know that parliamentary procedures is as easy as pie!